Jeff Baena Remembered as ‘Sweet Jewish Boy’ by Friend Adam Pally: ‘My Heart Breaks for Aubrey’

Adam Pally reflects on the life of his friend and frequent collaborator Jeff Baena.

The 42-year-old actor — who worked with Baen on his directorial debut in 2014. Life after Bethin 2016 Joshy and in 2017 Small hours — posted an Instagram tribute to the late filmmaker on Sunday, Jan. 5, calling him a “sweet Jewish boy from Miami,” a “collaborator,” a “mentor” and “the ugliest basketball player with the ugliest jump shot you’ve ever seen.”

Baena, who was married to Aubrey Plaza, died on January 4 at the age of 47. Sources told TMZ that an assistant discovered him at a home in Los Angeles a day earlier. According to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner, Baena’s manner of death is being ruled a suicide.

“He was a talented director with impeccable taste and vision, he was a connector of people, a driver of opportunity, a guy who knew where the best restaurant was no matter where you were,” Pally continued to write about Baena. “An overly friendly host with an almost disturbing open door policy, a film encyclopedia and most importantly a friend to me.”

Adam Pally, Molly Shannon, director Jeff Baena, Aubrey Plaza and Kate Micucci at the screening of ‘The Little Hours’ in New York City on May 20, 2017.

Ben Gabbe/Getty

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Describing his film work, Pally said that Baena “strived for the truth” and that “nothing could sound, look or feel inauthentic” — which, he said, “is a direct representation of who Jeff was. Authentic.”

“You never worried that Jeff wasn’t telling you like it was,” he continued. “Because Jeff’s virtue told you how it was.”

“My heart breaks for my friend Aubrey and the Baen family and for all of us who spent time on his sets or at his house or in his orbit,” Pally added. “Thanks for believing in me Jeff, may your memory be a blessing.”

Pally appeared alongside Plaza, 40, as well as Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Matthew Gray Gubler, John C. Reilly and more, in Life after Beth back in 2014. He later took on a bigger role in the Joshy (and also served as a producer on the project) before reteaming with Baen Small hours.

Alison Brie, who worked with Baeno is Pally, left a heartbroken emoji in the comments section of the post.

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Jeff Baena attends the 2022 screening of ‘Spin Me Round’ at the Egyptian Theater for the Seattle Film Festival on April 15, 2022.

Matt Hayward/Getty

Apart from working with Pally, Baena co-wrote the 2004 film I heart Huckabees starring Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law and Naomi Watts. He also directed other projects, including 2020 Horse girlin 2022 Spin Me Round and his 2021 anthology series Cinema toast, which he created and which also marked Plaza’s directorial debut.

Plaza and Baena, who met in 2011, worked on multiple projects together before Plaza announced in 2021 that they had tied the knot. Speaking to PEOPLE in 2019, Plaza shared some insight into the couple’s relationship.

“I think when you’re with someone who’s in your field, they understand what you’re dealing with on a deeper level. So obviously you can support each other and you really understand the kind of journey that we’re both on,” she said. “So I think it can be really great. But, you know, working with a partner can always be challenging. There are a lot of things that we do separately and I think it’s all in balance.”

“I think one of the great things about our careers is that we’re forced to be independent, take little breaks, go off and do our own thing and come back,” Plaza added. “So it’s kind of fun. Nothing’s the same anymore. You don’t want to spend too much time apart. But I think there’s a way it can work and there’s a balance to it.”

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